Roydell Carter still ‘on leave’

Roydell Carter, the director of the Department of Environmental Health, remains “out of office” as an internal government inquiry over the management of overtime in his department continues.

Mr. Carter, who runs the department responsible for trash pickups and for the George Town landfill site, has not been at work since December.

Government denied reports in early January that Mr. Carter had been suspended from his job, saying he was simply on leave.

They declined to say what type of leave, whether Mr. Carter was on vacation, sick or on some type of required leave.

“Contrary to reports in the media, DEH Director Roydell Carter has not been suspended and there are no funds unaccounted for at DEH. Mr. Carter is currently on leave, and Paulino Rodrigues is acting director in his absence,” Jennifer Ahearn, chief officer at the Ministry of Health said in a statement last month.

Asked for an update this week, a spokeswoman for the Department of Environmental Health said the situation remained the same. No further details were given.

The department came under pressure over Christmas after late pick-ups left garbage lining the roads in some districts. Several residents also raised concerns about the number of derelict cars dumped on the roadside.

Meanwhile, an inquiry into the management of overtime at the department has been going on since December.

Responding to questions from the Cayman Compass, Andy Bonner, head of government’s Internal Audit unit, said the review “remains an active ‘work in progress’ at the moment. We’re expecting to have it concluded this month and will issue it to our internal client, the Chief Officer of the Ministry of Health, Environment, Culture and Housing.”

Ms. Ahearn told the Compass in December that there were concerns over the pre-approval process for overtime in the department.

“There is a need for the Department of Environmental Health to be more judicious with their use of overtime in the coming months as we are approaching financial year-end and, as is the usual situation, tight budgets are becoming increasingly tighter and need to be carefully managed,” she said.

Government has still given no detail on Mr. Carter’s absence and it is not clear what connection, if any, there is between this and the various issues at the department.